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Fixing device and image forming apparatus including the same

a technology of fixing device and image forming apparatus, which is applied in the direction of electrographic process apparatus, instruments, optics, etc., can solve the problems of low temperature of the first roller, difficulty in efficiently carrying out the fixing of the developer onto the recording material, etc., to reduce the amount of power consumption, slow down the speed of decreasing, and shorten the heating time

Inactive Publication Date: 2009-04-14
SHARP KK
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This configuration reduces warm-up time and power consumption by efficiently heating the rollers only when necessary, ensuring quick printing initiation and minimizing energy usage.

Problems solved by technology

Here, when the temperature of the first roller is too high or too low, it is difficult to carry out the fixing of the developer onto the recording material efficiently.
Especially, immediately after the startup of the fixing device, or after the fixing device has not operated for a long time, the temperature of the first roller is low.

Method used

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  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus including the same
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus including the same
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus including the same

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

embodiment 1

[0040]The following will explain Embodiment 1 of the present invention in reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. The present embodiment will explain, as an example, a digital color copier 1 that is an image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagram showing a schematic configuration of the digital color copier 1 of the present embodiment.

[0041]As shown in FIG. 2, the digital color copier 1 includes a document table 111, a reversing automatic document feeder 112, an image reading section 110, an image forming section 210, a paper feeding section 211, and a paper output section 229.

[0042]The document table 111 is a table for placing a document for image formation, and is provided on an upper surface of a main body of the digital color copier 1. The reversing automatic document feeder (RADF) 112 conveys a document to a predetermined position of the document table 111. The reversing automatic document feeder 112 is attached to an upper surface of the document table 111, and is supported...

embodiment 2

[0121]The following will explain Embodiment 2 of the present invention in reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. The present embodiment is the same as Embodiment 1 except for a method of the heating control at the time of the warm-up. On this account, the same reference numerals are used for the members having the same functions as the members explained in Embodiment 1, and further explanations thereof are omitted. Moreover, the present embodiment will mainly explain the heating control (temperature control) of the fixing section 217, which is different from Embodiment 1.

[0122]FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the fixing section 217 of the present embodiment. The fixing section 217 shown in FIG. 6 includes the fixing roller 250, the pressure roller 251, the thermal heater 252, the heater driving circuit 253, the thermistor 254, a heating control section (heating control means) 258, the ROM 256, and the RAM 257.

[0123]The heating control section 258 of the present...

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PUM

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Abstract

The present invention realizes a fixing device and an image forming apparatus in each of which (i) the amount of power consumption is small and (ii) a wait time from when a command for starting printing is inputted until when printing is started is short. The fixing device of the present invention includes (i) a fixing roller (250) and a pressure roller (251) which are provided so as to contact each other, (ii) a thermal heater (252) for heating the fixing roller (250), (iii) a thermistor (254) for detecting the temperature of the fixing roller (250), and (iv) a heating control section (255) for controlling a drive start or drive stop of the thermal heater (252). The heating control section (255) carries out control of the thermal heater (252) for a predetermined time, and restarts the control of the thermal heater (252) based on a difference between (i) the temperature of the fixing roller (250) when the control of the thermal heater (252) is stopped and (ii) the temperature of the fixing roller (250) after a certain time has elapsed since the control of the thermal heater (252) is stopped.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus including this fixing device. More particularly, the present invention relates to (i) a fixing device which is controlled so that a surface temperature of a fixing roller becomes a desired temperature and (ii) an image forming apparatus including this fixing device.BACKGROUND ART[0002]Conventionally, an image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, and a facsimile, has a fixing device which fixes a toner of an unfixed toner image formed on a transfer material. A conventional fixing device includes, for example, (i) a fixing roller whose surface is heated, (ii) a pressure roller which contacts the fixing roller, and (iii) surface temperature detecting means for detecting a surface temperature of the fixing roller.[0003]In an image forming apparatus including this fixing device, when a main switch is turned ON, a warm-up for warming the fixing device is carried out. However, th...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G03G15/20
CPCG03G15/205
Inventor ISHIKAWA, KAZUTOSHI
Owner SHARP KK